Is your family pet at risk? Cats stolen for ransom and even older dogs for illegal breeding - as pair of 'Russian' thieves grab rabbit from hutch

It's every pet owner's worst nightmare – the gut-wrenching realisation your beloved companion has vanished and could now be miles away.

In a disturbing trend plaguing Britain's backyards, animals are being swiped by opportunistic thieves on the hunt for a quick profit – with peaceful suburbia as much of a target as big cities.

The latest incident, just last week, saw two crooks in Hull caught on camera filming themselves grabbing a family's rabbit by the ears before making off with the pet. 

Experts have warned the desire for criminals to sell pets on for inflated prices or use them for illegal breeding are the main driving force behind thefts.

Even older breeds of dogs are grabbed to act as bait and train fighting dogs in preparation for illegal bouts.

Dr Daniel Allen, founder of Pet Theft Reform and animal geographer at Keele University, said: 'People don't abduct pets to love them. They use them, abuse them, and treat them like money-making objects. 

'Most will be sold on to unsuspecting families or exchanged for ransom or reward. Others may experience the cruelties of illegal puppy farming or dog fighting.'

The safe return of the rabbit, named Peter, to his East Yorkshire home on Sunday inspired thousands to express their relief on social media.

Single mother Amy Ulliott, 38, and her teenage children were finally reunited after being alerted to a small brown rabbit answering to Peter's description had been found in a car park around a mile away.

Humberside Police are investigating the theft, with Ms Ulliott claiming the CCTV shows them speaking Russian and potentially 'planning to make a stew' out of her pet.

But not all owners are as lucky, with hundreds of dogs and cats stolen each year – including 237 in London alone in 2025.

'For the families who are searching, not knowing the whereabouts and welfare of abducted pets is a traumatic experience,' Dr Allen said.

'Pet abduction is a cruel and devastating crime for people and pets.'

He added that most dogs are taken from homes or gardens, so urged owners to ensure their 'properties are secure'.   

'The same goes for public spaces – do not leave dogs unattended and keep them close or secure on a lead when walking,' he added.

In May 2024, the Pet Abduction Act came into effect, making pet theft a criminal offence in England and Northern Ireland. The crime is punishable by up to five years in prison, a fine, or both.

But this has not fully deterred animal thieves, many of whom are keen to make a quick buck by selling the pet on for others' entertainment – including for brutal dog fights.

Since 2020, there has been a 34 per cent increase in dog fights. In 2023, the RSPCA recorded 560 organised dog fights, an increase from 418 in 2020. 

'Police now need the resources and commitment to investigate pet abduction thoroughly, catch the thieves and ensure prosecutions,' Dr Allen said.

'Without strong enforcement, pet abduction remains a low-risk, high-reward crime – and families and animals continue to suffer.'

The main advice from the RSCPA is to ensure your pets are neutered, microchipped with up-to-date contact details registered and wearing a collar with contact details embroidered or an engraved ID tag. 

Peter the rabbit was swiped from his front garden pen by two laughing and joking thieves who could be heard saying 'we'll make shashlik [kebab] out of it', as they walked off.

The pair snatched Peter on Saturday afternoon from his garden home in Hull while his owners were out.  

Ms Ulliott, 38, and her teenage children were shocked to find their pet was missing when they got home, she said.

And they were even more disturbed when they viewed CCTV which showed Peter being callously handled by the ears before being carried away.

Ms Ulliott, a carer, told the Daily Mail: 'No one with an ounce of humanity would do a thing like that to a defenceless rabbit, when I saw what they had done I felt physically sick and had very little hope that I would ever see Peter alive again.'

The family immediately called Humberside Police to report the theft and Ms Ulliott and her family took to the streets to search for him themselves, also posting the shocking video on social media. 

The person who eventually found him had taken him in and given him food and water while trying to find his owners – and then, seeing missing posts, got in touch with the good news. 

She said: 'Both of them were speaking in what sounded like Russian. And we've been told that one of the men may be called Oleg.'

Ms Ulliott said when she uploaded the footage, she was contacted by a Russian speaker who said he had been able to translate what the men were saying to each other.

She added: 'He told us that one man said to the other, "We'll make shashlik out of it".

'It seems they were saying it was their intention to have him on a skewer like a kebab, which is just a horrifying thought.'

The Daily Mail showed the clip to a Russian translator who confirmed that the language being spoken was Russian, possibly with a Ukrainian accent.

They said the man who grabbed Peter, turned to his friend and said: 'Take a picture of me.'

He then sings a tune and says 'whoa' when the rabbit kicks out at him.

Earlier this year, a video emerged of an Amazon driver brazenly scooping up a family cat while he was delivering a package after he 'took a shine' to the animal.

Doorbell footage shows a man wearing a high-vis jacket bending down close to the front door of the property in Elland, near Halifax, West Yorkshire.

As he stands up, a small dark-coloured cat can be seen in the man's right hand and the delivery driver then makes his way back towards his car before disappearing from view.

Owner Carl Crowther said he was left in 'total shock and disbelief' when he discovered Nora missing and reviewed footage taken by his doorbell camera.

Thankfully, the cat was later returned to the owner, much to the 'relief' of charity Cats Protection who had been making enquiries.

Annabel Berdy, senior advocacy and government relations officer for the organisation, said: 'No matter what the animal, pet abduction is a particularly abhorrent crime, leaving owners devastated and pets at high risk of mistreatment.

'These unscrupulous sellers will be looking to profit either by selling stolen cats to unsuspecting buyers, or keeping them to breed kittens for onward sale.'

Another devastated family were also searching for their beloved French Bulldog who was allegedly stolen from their back garden.

Claire Norwell, of Broadstairs, Kent, said her five-year-old daughter Ivy-Abbie had been left heartbroken and 'out of her mind' following the disappearance of Bronson, their French Bulldog.

'Somebody has jumped my fence from the other side, picked him up, opened the bolt on the gate and pulled the gate open,' she said.

'I've gone out there this morning and had a look in the daylight, and you can see fresh scratch marks on the other side of the fence, where somebody's feet have been rubbing against the wood to get over.'

Analysis of police data revealed that certain breeds are more at risk than others of being taken, with French Bulldogs found to be the most common for dognapping in 2024.

There were 51 snatched nationwide – an increase of more than a third (38 per cent) compared to 2023.

Given French Bulldogs can fetch up to £5,000 if purchased from a reputable breeder, it is little wonder they were the most snatched dog of 2024 – with criminals able to secure large sums of money for the animals by selling them on. 

English bulldogs proved the second most stolen breed, with 37 incidents reported – followed by Staffordshire Bull Terriers, Chihuahuas, XL Bullies and Labradors.